Alarm switch



May 14, 1935. R. M. HOPKINS ALARM SWITCH Filed NOV. 30, 1929 XWNPatented May 14, 1935 UNITED PATENT OFFICE I ALARM SWITCH RichardHopkins, New York, N. Y., assignor to Ailieiican District Telegraphcompany, New York, N. Y., 'a'. corporation of New Jersey ApplicationNovember 30, 1929, Serial N; 410,718 10 Clainis. (oi. 2 00 167j Thisinvention relates toele'ctric switches for bandit alaiinsfor banks andother places and more particularly to means for setting off such alarms,though it is noted that the invention is not limited to electrical meansnor in some respects even to alarms.

One object of the invention is to provide switch or device of this kindwhich may be easily and conveniently operated, but which is not liableto cause accidental operation of the alarm or signal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch'or device of thiskind whichoperates a signal each time the device is operated, and toprovide a signal device which can be reset only by the use or a'key.

Another object of the invention is to provide switches of this kindwhich operate on closed or open circuits.

Other objects of the invention are to improve generally the simplicityand efficiency of such switches and to provide a switch of this kindwhich is durable and reliable in operation, and economical tomanufacture.

Still other objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds; and while herein details of the invention are described andclaimed, the invention is not limited to these, since many and variouschanges and omissions may be made without departing from the scope ofthe invention as claimed in the broader claims. For instance the signalmeans or the key control may be omitted, without destroying the functionof the switches and only one switch member may be used, if desired.

The inventive features for the accomplishment of these and other objectsare shown herein in connection with an improved switch device which,briefly. stated, includes a, pair oi'switehes; and electric ci rcuitmeans controlledby said switches where bye signal is operated only whensaid switches are both operated; Means are provided wherebythe signal ischanged fromnormal' to alarmeonditicn by the operation oisaid-switclies;keyrcontrolled means are provided for restoring the signal tonorma'lcondition.

While in this specification and claims I speak of a single alarm deviceand a singie'swi-tcii staman, and mention key control and one signaldevice, it is understood that I may use these Words for designation" andthat they are to be construed broadly enoughto cover translating damother than alarms and signals, and that number or'anyertnem may used;and in general the terms are to be given broad interpretation for thepurposes of protection.

In the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example, two of manypossible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan of the device in its casing.

Fig. 2 is a front end elevation-of the device showing a wall or desk, indot and dash lines, to which the device is affixed.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the contact mechanism, the casing beingremoved.

Fig. 4=is a fragmentary sectional View showing a side elevation of themechanism of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan of the contact and inner spring platesshowing them before being pressed inward by the buttons.

Fig. 6' is a similar view, showing the plates curved inward from thepressure of the buttons.

Fig. 7 is another fragmentary view, showing the buttons returned totheir outward position, leaving the two inner spring members in lockedposition and the target plate held downward.

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the target plate shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the target plate in itsdownward position, exposing the red signal through the window of thecasing.

; Fig. 10 is a modification of Figs. 5,- 6, 7 showing the contact beingmade with the center plates.

The contactmechanism is carried in a casing l comprising a base 2, sidewalls 3'and 4, an end wall 5 having an outlet 6 for the wires Al and 43,a front end wall 8, and a cover plate 9. The front end wall 8 isprovided with a rectangular window or sight opening it, and a keyholeslot H. Pins 13 located on the inside of the front end wall 8 form stopsfor the key I4 shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1.

The front end Wall 8 is also provided with rivets i5 (Fig. 4) suitablylocated, above and below the opening I0, received in slots 49, 50 (Fig.8) of a signal or target plate IT for slidably holding said plateagainst the inside of the said end wall. The side walls 3 and 4 areprovided, near the front end, with holes I8, l9 adapted to slidably1101s 4 and guide push buttons and 2|.

A rectangular block 22, secured by screws 23 to the inner face of thecasing serves as an anch'orage or support for a plurality or set of fiatspring members generally indicated by 28 (Fig. 4), and attached to theblock 22 by bolts 26, and separated from one another by' an insulatingmaterial a's (Fig. 4) The set of flat spring members' includes acoacting pair of outer and inner contact springs or members 21, 2s onone side of the block, a similar pair 29, 30, on the other side of theblock, and detent or positioning plates 3| engaging against the innerface of the members 21 and 29 respectively.

Ears or lugs 32, 33, 34 and 35 (Fig. 3) formed on the edges of thecontact springs, serve as terminals for the wires 40, 4|, 42 and 43. Theinner contact members 28 and 30 are extended and engage the inner endfaces of the push buttons 20 and 2|, exerting an outward pressurepushing the buttons outwardly and maintaining contact between contactlugs A, carried on the members 23 and 30, and contact lugs C on theouter contact members 21 and 29. The push buttons 20-2|, are providedwith stop pins 45, which limit their outward motion.

Another pair of spring plates 36, 31 mounted on the block 22 extend tothe signal or target plate l1 and engage under ledges 51 providedthereon. The spring plate members 36, 31 are also insulated from thecontact plates 28 and 30 by an insulated material as 46, 46.

Attached to the upper side of the block 22, is a bent spring plate 41(Fig. 4) extending forward and exerting a downward pressure on therecessed portion 48 (Fig. 8) of the target plate H.

The target plate H has also a cutout portion 5| at each lower corner,the upper edge 52 of one of which cutouts is engaged by the key M whenthe target I1 is being reset to its normal position. The target |1 alsohas two sight panels 54 and 55, of different colors, impressed orotherwise, upon its front indicating face 53 and so located, as to showthe white panel 55, through the aperture l when the target is in normalor up position, and to show the red panel 54 when the target plate I1 isin its actuated or down position. The rear surface 56 (Fig. 4) of thetarget plate I1 is provided with the horizontal ledges 51 which serve asa stop normally engageable with the spring plates 36, 31 for normallypreventing the downward movement of the spring member 41. A cutoutportion 58 between the ledges 51 permits the target plate H to drop, asthe spring members 36 and 31 are bent inward by the buttons 20 and 2|.

It is understood that many contacts or circuits, like the particularones shown, may be used in this device without departing from the spiritof the invention, in which, in this instance, I have shown a closedcircuit. In other words, many of these devices may be used connected inseries or otherwise with automatic alarm signals like the one shown atE.

Fig. 3 shows the wire connections for a normally closed circuit,wherein, the wire 43 attached to the terminal 35 extends to one pole ofthe source of current as B, the other pole being connected through theconductor 60 to an automatic alarm E which is normally silent on aclosed circuit and which is connected between the terminals 6|, 62. Thewires 4|, 42 connect both lugs 33, 34 to the terminal 62 connected toone side of the automatic alarm. Wires 40, 43 extend from terminals 32,35 and connect with the source B, thereby completing the circuit throughthe alarm if either spring plate 28 or 30 is in the nonnal positionshown in Fig. 3, thereby holding the alarm silent.

Figs. 5, 6 and '7 show the progressive action of the switch mechanismwhen the push buttons 20 and 2| have been simultaneously pushed. In Fig.5 the contacts A and C are shown contacting so that the circuit isunbroken, and the target plate I1 is held in its upper, normal positionby the plates 36, 31 under the ledges 51, showing the white panel 55through the window Hi. In Fig. 6 both buttons 20 and 2| are shown pushedinward, separating both pairs of contacts A and C, which causes thealarm to be given. As soon as the buttons and the plates 36, 31 arepressed inward, the plates or detents 36, 31 move into the cut-outportion 58 and the target plate moves to its downward position, showingthe red panel 54 through the window H), as shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 7 shows the push buttons 20 and 2| returned to their normalposition; but the plates 36 and 31 have remained in the recess 58 andthe target has been held in its downward position, showing the red panel54 through the window ID. The key I4 can now be inserted in the slot IIand turned to the position of the dotted lines M of Fig. 1, thereby toreturn the target plate to its normal position.

The operation of the device of Figs. 1 to 9 may be as follows:

When it is desired to sound the alarm, a person at one of the switchespresses both buttons, thus breaking the circuit at both contacts A andC, whereupon the alarm is sounded. As this is done, the plates 36, 31must move into the space 58 (Fig. 6), permitting the spring 41 to snapthe plate H to position to expose the red panel, which must remainexposed until a proper oilicer with a key'inspects the switches to seewhich was operated, and restores the plate to normal position. It isunderstood that a large number of switch devices, like the one shown,may be inserted in a normally closed circuit.

One method of fastening the device to a desk or wall D is shown in Fig.2, wherein the cover plate 9 is provided with extensions 9 which fitbetween brackets 1, attached to the said desk or wall.

Another form of switch means, is shown in Fig. 10 wherein only theplates 36, 31 and the push buttons are necessary and the contact pointsA and C, which are placed on the inner faces respectively of the springplate members 36 and 31, are pressed inward for closing a circuit andcausing an alarm to be sounded until the target plate I1 is raised toits normal position as above explained; but in this case the members 36,31 should not be electrically connected with each other through ledges51. For instance, the plate IT or ledges 51 or both could be ofinsulating material. In this form of the invention pressure on both pushbuttons is necessary in order to make the contacts A and C meet andsound the alarm.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a pair of normally closed switches changeable fromclosed to open position; a movable indicating means; and means formounting and guiding the indicating means; said indicating means beingengaged by the switches and thereby held against movement from normal toindicating position when either switch is in normal condition, and beingreleased to move to indicating position whenever both switches are open.

2. In combination, a pair of switches changeable from normal to abnormalposition; a movable indicating member tending to move from normal toabnormal position; means for mounting and guiding the indicating member;said indicating member being held by said switches against change fromnormal to abnormal condition when either switch is in normal position,said member being yieldably moved from normal to abnormal condition whenboth of said switches are in abnormal condition.

'3. In combination, a pair of switches changeable from normal toabnormal position; a movable indicating member; -means mounting andguiding the indicating member; the indicating member being engaged bysaid switches and held by at least one of said switches against changefrom normal to abnormal condition when either switch is in normalcondition; and spring means whereby the signal means is moved fromnormal to abnormal condition only after both of said switches .are inabnormal condition.

4. In combination, a pair of switches changeable from normal to abnormalposition; a pair of detent means respectively changeably by the switchesfrom normal to abnormal position; a movable indicatingmeans tending tomove from normal to abnormal position; means mounting and guiding theindicating means; said indicating means being held against change fromnormal to abnormal condition when either detent means is in normalcondition and changed from normal to abnormal condition when both ofsaid detent means are in abnormal condition; means controlled by theindicating means for holding the detent means in abnormal position whenthe indicating means is in abnormal condition while the switches arenormal; and key-controlled means for restoring the indicating means tonormal position.

5. In combination, a casing having a window; a pair of push buttons; 9.pair of sets of insulated spring members; means for mounting the membersin the casing; each set comprising an outer contact member, an innercontact member normally yieldable engaging the outer member and adaptedto be pressed inwardly toward the other set and engaged by one of saidbuttons, and a detent member adapted to be moved inwardly by the inwardmovement of said inner member; a plate slidably mounted on an inner faceof the casing and provided with a normal panel and a second panel ofdifferent colors either of which is adapted to register with saidwindow; a pair of separated alined ledges on the inner face of saidplate and engaged by said detent members to hold the plate with thenormal panel exposed at the window; said ledges being positioned to beboth released by the detent members to release the plate only when bothdetent members are pressed inward; and means yieldably pressing againstthe plate to cause it to show said second panel when said plate is thusreleased, whereupon the ledges move to position .to hold the detentmembers inward.

6. In combination, a switch; a movable plate; means for yieldablypressing the plate from normal to operated position; a detent membernormally holding the plate in normal position and movable by the switchwhen operated whereby the plate is changed from normal to operatedposition by the operation of said switch; and key controlled means formoving the.plate to normal condition while the switch is stationary.

'7. In combination, a casing; a pair of switches therein; means mountingthe switches in the casing; a plate; means movably mounting the plate inthe casing; detent members controlled by the switches and tending tomove to abnormal position, means whereby the plate is changed fromnormal to abnormal condition by the simultaneous operation of saiddetent means by said switches; means being provided on the plate to holdthe detent members in said abnormal position when the plate is inabnormal position; said casing being provided with a key hole positionedto receive a key in position to engage the plate and restore it tonormal position, to permit the detent members to return to normalposition.

8. In combination, a casing having a window and a push button opening; apush button in said opening; mounting means in the casing; a switch setcomprising an outer contact member, an inner contact member mounted onsaid means and normally yieldably engaging the outer member and adaptedto be pressed inwardly and extending beyond the said outer member andengagedbysaid button, and a detent member mounted on the mounting meansand extending beyond said inner member and adapted to be moved inwardlyby the inward movement of said inner member; a movable plateregisterable with said window, and means for yieldably pressing theplate from normal to abnormal position; said plate being held againstmovement by said detent member; said detent member being movable by theinner member when operated to permit the signal plate to change fromnormal to abnormal condition by the operation of said switch.

9. In combination, a casing having a window, and a pair of openings onopposite sides of the casing from each other; push buttons in saidopenings respectively; a block mounted in the casing; a pair of sets ofinsulated spring members, said sets being mounted on respectivelyopposite sides of said block; each set comprising an outer contactmember, an inner contact member, normally yieldably engaging the outermember and adapted to be pressed inwardly toward the other set andextending beyond the said outer member and engaged by one of saidbuttons, and control members projecting beyond said inner member andadapted to be moved inwardly by the inward movement of said innermember; and indicator means registerable with said window and controlledby said control members.

10. In combination, a casing having a window; a pair of push buttons; apair of sets of insulated spring members; each set comprising an outercontact member, an inner contact member normally yieldable engaging theouter member and adapted to be pressed inwardly toward the other set andengaged by one of said buttons, and a detent member adapted to be movedinwardly by the inward movement of said inner member; a slidably mountedplate provided with a normal panel and an abnormal panel either of whichmay register with said window; ledges on the plate engaged by saiddetent members to hold the plate with the normal panel exposed; saidledges being positioned to be released by the detent members when bothdetent members are pressed inward; means for pressing the plate to showthe abnormal panel when thus released, whereupon the ledges move to aposition to hold the detent members inward; key means to restore thesignal plate to normal position.

RICHARD M. HOPKINS.

